steep¹ / stēp/ • adj. 1. (of a slope, flight of stairs, angle, ascent, etc.) rising or falling sharply; nearly perpendicular: she pushed the bike up the steep hill. ∎  (of a rise or fall in an amount) large or rapid: the steep rise in unemployment.2. inf. (of a price or demand) not reasonable; excessive: a steep membership fee. ∎ dated (of a claim or account) exaggerated or incredible: this is a rather steep statement.• n. chiefly Skiing or poetic/lit. a steep mountain slope: hair-raising steeps.DERIVATIVES: steep·ish adj.steep·ly adv.steep·ness n.steep² • v. [tr.] soak (food or tea) in water or other liquid so as to extract its flavor or to soften it: the chilies are steeped in olive oil| [intr.] the noodles should be left to steep for 3–4 minutes. ∎  soak or saturate (cloth) in water or other liquid. ∎  (usu. be steeped in) fig. surround or fill with a quality or influence: a city steeped in history.

steep2 soak in liquid XIV; in various transf. and fig. uses from late XVI. repr. formally OE. *stēpan, *stīepan = Sw. stöpa, Da. støbe, Norw. støypa steep (seeds, barley for malting) :- Gmc. *staupjan, f. *staup- (see STOUP).

steep1 †high, towering; †(of eyes) prominent, glaring OE.; precipitous XII. OE. stēap = OFris. stāp :- WGmc. *staupa, f. *staup- *stûp- (see STOOP1).

steep The process of leaving a food to stand in water, either to soften it or to extract its flavour and colour. Also the preparation of fruit liqueurs by steeping fruit in spirit.